Garment-pressing machine



Aug. 23 1927. 1,640,142

A. R. BRAUN GARMENT PRESSING MACHINE IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS A. R. BRAUN GARMENT PRESSING MACHINE Aug. 23 1927. ,640,l42

Filed July 1l. 15523 l2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WWW/Mm A TTORNEYS Patented Aug. 23, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,640,142 PATENT OFFICE.

AQUILA BRAUN, Ol' SYBACUBE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

vIO THE PROSPEBITY COMPANY, INC., OF SYRACUSE, NIE'Wv YORK, A CORPORATION l OF NEW YORK.

Application Bled July 11.

This invention relates to pressing machines as garment and laundry pressing machines and has for its object a particularly vsimple and efcient arrangement of the operating mechanism for closing the press and for applying heavy pressure to the movable pressing element or head and of means for opening the press after the pressing operation.

kThe invention'consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is the side elevation of a pressing machine embodying this invention.

v Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view on the plane `of line 22, Fig. 1, showing the means for effecting the connection and dis-p connection of the power shaft andthe motion transmit-ting mechanism. ,l

Figure 3 is a detailview of the cam. Figure 4 is a face view of the latch plate. Figure .5 is a face view ofthe pressure .member, which coacts with the latch plate.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the manualmeans for operating the 3 clutch.

This pressing machine comprises generally a ,pair of coacting pressing elements having relative movement one toward and from theoth'er, alever carrying the movable pressing element, spring means .normally ineffective upon the lever and arranged to become eiective thereon after the lever has been actuated or' moved a predetermined distance toward the closing position and tending to open the reas, power means, -motion transmitting mec ianism vbetween the power means and said lever and manual means for controlling the connection of the motion transmitting,1r mechanism to the power 5 .means `the spring means operating to open or give the openinggimpulse to the press when the pressing' ead is relieved of the action of the power means. The lever carrying the movable pressing element or head 5 is practically counterbal'anced, so vthat when a starting impulse is imparted thereto, tending tovclose the same, it will move by its own inertia to 'closed position and the spring means being suicient to give an opening im.

5" pulse to the press head, so that the press 1923,. Serial No. 650,806.

head completes its opening movement by inertia, whereby, by reason of the counterbalancing of the lever and the arrangement of the spring means mounted the shock of opening the press when the power is relieved or eliminated.

1 designates the frame of the machine which may be of any suitable form, size and construction, it having a table 2 on which is supported a neck or bracket 3, 4 and 5 are the lower and up'per pressing elements, the lower element 4 being mounted ,upon the neck or bracket 3 and being usually called the buck; and the upper pressing element being a head movable toward and fromV `the buck 4. The buck 4 and head 5 are usually formed hollow and are connected to a suitable source of supply of steam, and either one or the other or both may be also provided with perforations through the pressing face thereof, through which steam can be ejected, if desired, into the articles being pressed. The construction of the buck and press head form no part of this invention.

6 is a lever or yoke supporting the press head 5. this lever being pivoted between' its ends at 7 to an upwardly extending standard 8 rising from the frame 1, the lever having forwardly and rearwardly extending arms 9, 10. The press head is supported in any suitable manner by the forward arms 9.

The power means preferably comprises a constantly rot-atin s aft 11, which is connected to the sha of a constantly running motor A on the shaft of which a flywheel B is mounted. The shaft 11 is here shown as arrangedin line with the shaft of the motor and being formed as an extension of the armature shaft of the motor and as having aworm 12 thereon meshing with a worm Vgear 13 which is loosely 'mounted or mount/- *ed yto rotate about a` shaft 14. The shafts 11, 14 worm and worm wheel 12, 13 and the periodic clutch to be presently describedy are supported in or enclosed by a suitable casing 15 vsupported in any suitablel manner from a frame ,member 16.

The motion transmittin mechanismbe-. tween the shaft 11 and the ever 6 cf'mprisesy toggle links 17 and 18 pivoted'together at 19 and pivoted respectively at 20 and 21%() the rear arm 10 of the lever 6 a'n`dtofthel lower end of the frame 1,- an arm or member 22 extending forwardly from the link 18,the

shaft 14 before mentioned, a cam 23 mounted on the shaft 14 and a member 24 carried by the arm 22 and coacting with the cam. The cam 23 or the shaft 14 is connected or clutched to the shaft 11 or worm gear 13 rotatable With the shaft 11 by operator actuated means to be hereinafter described.

The spring means normally ineffective upon the lever 6 and arranged to come into action after the lever has been actuated a predetermined distance downwardly, as here shown, is arranged to act on the lever 6 in advance of its axis 7 just after the lever 9 has been actuated to bring the upper press head 5 into engagement With the garment on the lower buck 4, and, as here illustrated. the spring means comprises a plurality of springs 25 arranged between the press head 5 and the buck 4 and carried by one of these elements. these springs being usually compression springs formed Within the padding or covering for the face of one of the pressing elements, usually the lower buck 4. I

A suitable counterweight 26 is carried by the rear arm 10 of the lever 6 and the front and rear arms of the lever and parts carried thereby substantially counter-balance each other, so that, when the press head 5 is up, that is, When the press is open, a mere starting impulse imparted to the handle 27 at the front side of the press head 5 will cause the lever to move by its inertia to carry the press head 5 down on to the garment placed on the lower buck 4. and owing to the countcrbalancing arrangement. it will remain in this position. unless given a starting impulse upwardly or in any other position it may stop. Heretofore. the pressing machines the rear end of the lever carrying the press head and parts carried 'by the rear end of such 'lever have been heavier than the front end of such lever and parts carried thereby or a spring has `been used to act on the rear end'of such lever to overbalance the front end, so that the press tends to open and in closing the press the overbalancingvveight or spring must be overcome by the operator and henceV greater force must be applied by the operator than in this machine.

The cam 23, as here shown, is a scroll cam and the member 24 is provided with the follower as a roller 28. The member 24 is here shown as pivoted on a forwardly and rearwardly extending axis 29 to the arm'or lever 22 and is provided with a laterally extending Weighted arm 30, which tends to move the member 24o`n its pivot in such direction as to move the .follower 23 toward the cam or under the low point of the pe-y ripheral cam face thereof. when the arm or lever22 has been moved downwardlv bv the closing-.fthe press, due to the starting impulseapplied to the' handle. 27. The cam 23 is also formed with a laterally inclined face 31. which shifts the follower out of the path of the peripheral face of the cam.

The manual, or operator operated means for controlling the actuation of the cam 23 or controlling the connection of the cam 23 to the power shaft 11 or Worm gear 13 comprises a periodic or half revolution clutch having a. section 32 connected to the cam 14 and a section rotatable with the worm gear 13 and manual means for engaging and disengaging the clutch sections. The clutch here shown is a disk clutch and the driven section 32 associated with the cam comprises a hub keyed to the shaft 14 and a series of disks 34 slidably interlocked or keyed to the hub and a driving clutch section rotatable with the worm gear 13. The driving section comprises disks 36 interleaved with the former disks 34 and slidably keyed to arms 37 extending from the Worm Wheel 13 parallel to the shaft 14. The clutch further includes a pressure ring 33 keyed to the hub of the clutch section 32 and pressing against the disks, and al second pressure ring 39 mounted on the shaft 14 and opposed to the first pressure ring, springs 40 interposed between the pressure rings, a latch plate 41 fixed from rotation and formed with an annular plate surface 42 concentric with the shaft 14 and with diametrically opposite notches 44 coacting with teeth or rollers 45 on the second pressure ring 39, and means for shifting the second preszure ring 39 for carrying the teeth or rollers 45 out of the notches 44. As here illustrated, the springs 40 encircle rods or studs 46 projecting from the first pressure ring 38 and through holes in the 'second pressure ring 39. The latch plate forms a cover for the c: sing 15.

The shifting means, as here shown, comprises a hand lever 47 pivoted at, 48-to the frame and connected by a link 49 to one arm of a bell ycrank lever 50. the other arm of which carries a fork 5l Working in a groove 52 in the hub 53 of the second pressure lring 39.

Obviously. upon movement of the, hand lever 47. the second pressure ring39 will be shifted axially to the left, Figf 2, against the springs 40 and cause the disks 34, 36 to frictionally engage and the rollers 45 to move out of the notches 44 ofthe latch plate 41, whereupon the cam 23 and the shaft 14 will be rotated with the worm Wheel 13 and, in so doing, move the teeth or rollers 45 of the second pressure ring 39 along the annular face. 42 of the latch plate 41 until the cam 23 makes a half revolution when the teeth Yor rollers 45 again come into alinement with the notches 44 andthe second pressure member 39 is shifted axially bythe springs 40, moving the teeth or rollers 45 into the notches 44 and causing the disks 34, 36 to disengage. The cam, thus makes ahalf revov ation. Upon again operating the hand lelll' ver 47, the cam 23 willI again make another half revolution. The lirst half revolution actuates the lever 6 to apply ressure to the head 5 and the buck 4 and, a so to compress the springs 25. The second half revolution causes the lever 6 to be released from the holding action of the cam and permits the springs 25, which are light springs, to give the opening or starting impulse to the press head5, continued and complete opening being. effected by inertia of the lever 6v and parts connected thereto.

. In operation, when the press is open, the operator, by imparting a light'starting impulse, tothe-handle 27, causes the lever to move downwardly until the head engages the' article on the lower buck 4.` During such movement, the toggle links .17, 18 are moved toward a straight line, the lever 22./

moved downwardly carrying the member 24 downwardly far enough softhat the roller or follower 28 is moved by its weighted arm 30 under the low point of the cam 23. The o erator then actuates the operating lever 47, thus shifting the second pressure member 39 and the rollers 45 out of the notches 44 and, causing the clutch disks 34, 36 to engage, whereupon the cam 23 makes a half revolution, thus causing the head 5 to be brought down with pressure on the garment or other article on the lower lbuck 4 and compress the springs 25, the cam 23 remaining.

engaged with the cam follower 28 'and thus holding the press head 5 in its pressing position. The toggle'links 17, 18 are not moved quite into the dead centerline so that the toggle will open or break easily when the pressure of the cam 23 is removed from the lever 22 during the opening movement of the press. When the pressure has been -applied long enough to suit the operator, he again actuates the handle or operating lever 47 engaging theclutch disks and causing the cam 23 to make another halfl revolution, and during this second half revolution, the laterally inclined cam face 31 of the cam pushes the follower 28 out of position to engage the peripheral face ot the cam, whereupon the springs 25 are free to react and give the opening impulse to the press head 5. so that the press is opened by the inertia of the counterbalanced lever 6 and parts connected thereto.

By-counterbalancing the lever 6, the press is closed with minimum effort and with no pressure, so that the operator cannotbe injuredif .he should unconsciously have one hand' under the press head, when he gives the closing starting impi'lse to the upper press head. By reason of the springs, which come into action h v the application of power, and to the counterbalanced lever 6, the press opens with practically no jar.

What I claim is:

r1. In a pressing machine, the combination said-part has been shifted into efective connection with the power means and the movable element is actuated by the power means, said spring means tending to separate the pressing elements and to open the press, said part being movable into effective connection with the power means by a preliminary closing of the movable element and manual means operable to control the shifting of said part out of effective position when the press is closed and thereby permit the spring means to react to open the press.

2. In a pressing machine, the combination of coacting pressing elements, one movable toward and from the other, a lever pivoted between its ends at one arm thereof carrying the movable. pressing element. power means, motion transmitting connections between the power means and the movable element, the arms of the lever and the parts carried thereby substantially counterbalancing each other, spring means normally inell'ective on said lever and arranged to act on said lever in the direction of the opening movement of said lever when the press is closed by the power means. the motion transmitting connections including parts normally out of effective motion trans mitting relation and movable into such relation by a preliminary-closing movement of the movable element and operator operated means for controlling the shifting of one of said parts out of engagement with the other when the press is closed.

3. In "a pressing machine, the combination of coacting pressing elements having relative movement. one toward and from the other, a lever pivoted between its ends, one arm thereof carrying the movable pressing element, power means, motion transmitting connections between the power-means and the other arm of the lever comprising parts normally out of effective motion transmitting relation and movable into saidy relation by a preliminary closing of the movzzb'e element, spring meansarranged in the path of one of said elements and normally spa' ed apart therefrom in order that the mcvabley element may move preliminary toward closed position free of sprmg means and aga-inst lthe spring means by the power means after the press is preliminarilv closed.

operator operated means for controllingl the movement of said parts out of effective relalin tion when the press is closed, the spring means being arranged to act on the lever on the side of the pivot thereof o'n which the movable pressing element is located.

4. In a pressing machine, the combination of coasting pressing elements having relative movement, one toward and from the other, a lever pivoted between its ends, one arm thereof carrying the movable pressing element. power means, motion transmitting mechanism between the power means and the other arm of the lever including parts normall out of eiective motion transmitting re ation-and movable into such relation by a preliminary movementof the movable element toward closed position, spring means arranged to separate the pressing elements and open the press after said parts have come into coacting relation and means for controlling the operation of said mechanism by the power means and the shifting of said parts out of effective relation when the press is closed, the spring means being arranged to act on the lever` the front and rear arms of the lever and parts carried .thereby substantially coiinterbalancing each other whereby the movable pressing element moves toward closed position by being given a starting impulse and is moved to open position by the impulse given thereto by the sprin means.

5. n a pressing machine, the vcombination of coacting pressing elements having relative movement one toward andfrom the other, a lever pivoted between its ends, one arm thereof carrying the movable pressing element, ower means, motion transmittin mechanism between the power means an the other arm of the lever including motion transmitting parts normally out of eiective motion' transmitting relation and movable into such relation by a preliminary closing movement of the movable element, spring `means arranged to separate the` pressing elements and open t-hepiess and to come into action after the power is applied to close the press and means for controlling the operation of said mechanism by the power means including mechanism for shifting said parts out of motion transmitting relation when the press is closed, said spring means being arranged to act on the lever and the front and rear arms of the lever and arts carried thereby substantially counterba ancing each other, whereby the movable pressing element moves ltoward closed position upon given a starting impulse and is moved to open position by the impulse given there-l to by the spring means when said parts are out of motion transmitting relation.

6. In a pressing machine, the combination of coasting pressing elements having relative movement, one toward and from the other, a lever pivoted between its ends, one arm thereof carrying the movable pressing weones normally out of effective motion transmitting relation and movable into such relation by a preliminary closing movement of the movable element, means for shiftin the parts out of eifective motion transmitting relation when the press is closed and sprin means carried by one of said elements Aan arran ed to be acted upon and compressed by the ot er of said elements when said elements are brought into pressing position by said mechanism, the front and rear arms of said lever and parts carried thereby substantially counterbalancing each other. i

7. In a pressing machine, the combination of coasting pressing elements having relative movement one toward and from the other, a lever ivoted between its ends and one arm thereo carrying' a movable pressing element, power means, motion transmitting mechanism between the power means and the other arm of the lever, and spring means arranged to act on the lever vand tending to move the lever to open the press and arranged to become effective on the lever when l the movable ressing element has been' moved a pre etermined distance toward closed position, themotion transmitting mechanisincomprising a member and an intermittently movable cam coacting with said member and arranged to engage and hold said member in its operative position assumed when the pressureis being applied to the movable pressing element, said member being provided with a follower and the cam having a peripheral surface for engaging the follower and also a laterally inclined cam surface for shifting the follower out of the path of the peripheral surface, and operating means for controlling the engagement and disengagement of the cam and power means, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. Ina preing machinethe combination of coacting pressing elements having relative movement one toward and from the other, a lever pivoted between its ends and one arm thereof carrying a vmovable pressing element, power means, motion transmitting mechanism between the power means and the othernirm of the lever, spring means arranged to act on the lever and tending to move the lever to open the ress and arranged to become effective on t e lever when the movable pressing element has been moved a predetermined distance toward ,the other element, the motion transmittingl mechanism comprising a movable member and an intermittently movable cam coacting with said member and arranged to engage yandhold said member in its operative position assumed when the-prs'is closed, said member being provided with a follower and withmeans to move the follower into en gagement with the cam and the cam being provided with a laterally inclined surface arranged to shift the follower out of engagement with the cam, and manual means for connecting the cam to the power means, substantially as and for the purpose described.

9. In a pressing machine, the combination of coacting pressing elements having relative movement one toward and from the other, a lever pivoted between its ends and one arm thereof carrying a movable pressing element, power means, motion transmitting mechanism between the power means and the other arm of the lever, the front and rear arms 0f the lever and parts carried thereby counterbalancing eachother, sprin means' arranged to act on the lever an tending to move the lever to open the press and arranged to become eective on the lever when the movable pressing element has been moved a predetermined distance toward the other element, ythe motion transmitting mechanism comprisingv a movable member and an intermittently movable cam coacting with said member and arranged to engage and hold said member in its operative position assumed when the press is closed,

said member being provided with a follower and withA means to move the followerinto engagement with the cam and the cam being provided with a laterally inclined` surface arranged to shift the :follower out of enagement with the cam, and manual means or connecting the cam to the power means, substantially as and for the purpose described.

vl0. In a pressing'machine, the combination of coacting 'pressing elements, one a l lower buck, and the other a Vmovable press head, a lever carnyingthe press head, the

lever and parts carried thereby being counterbalanced whereby the press head moves into closed position upon beinggiven a start,-t

ing impulse, and to open positlon upon being given a starting impulse, s ring means located to come into action w en'the press is closedand to react to give a starting lmpulse to the press, operating means for actuatin `the lever after, it has been [moved to close position and for holding it in closed position, and means for controlling the former means substantially as and for the purpose specified.`

- 11. In a pressing machine,`the combina- Ation of coacting pressing elements, one a lower buck, and the other a movable press head, a. lever carrying the press head, the lever and parts carried'thereb/y being counterbalanced whereby the'press head moves into closed yposition upon being given a starting impulse, and to open position upon being given a startin byy one of thek ranged to be compresse by the other pressmoved to closed position and for'holding it f.

in elosed position, opening means arranged to come into action when the lever is actuated by the operating means and when the lever isrelieved of the pressing and holding action, to give a starting opening im ulse to the lever, substantially as and for t e 'purpose set forth. I Y .l

12. In a pressing machine, the combination of coacting pressing elements, one a lower buck, and the other a movable press head, a lever carryin the press head, the lever and arts carrie thereby being counterbalance whereby the press head moves intoclosed position'upon being given a starting impulse and to open position upon being impulse, operating means for actuating t e lever after it has been moved to closed position and for holding it in closed position, and opening means arranged to come into action when the lever is actuated by the operating means to give a .starting Iopening impulse to the lever,y said I3. In a pressing machine, the combina- I tion ofl coactin pressing elements,vv one a lower buck, an the other a movable press head, .a lever carryin the press head, the

' lever and arts carrie thereby being counterbalance whereby the press head moves into closed position upon being given a starting impulse, and toA open position upon being iven as ,tartingl impulse, operating means or actuating t e lever after it has been moved to closed position and for holding it in-'closed position, .and opening means arranged to come into action when the lever is actuated by the operating means, to give a starting opening impulse to the lever, said openlng means comprising springs carried pressm elements, and aring element, and motion transmitting memy,bers between the operating means andA the lever and arranged to be moved in reverse direction byV the recoil action ofthe springs f during opening movement of the press su stantially asand for purpose specified.

Y In testimony whereof, I have hereunto si ed m name, at Syracuse, in the county o Onon aga, and State of New York, this 2nd day of- July, 1.923.

AQUILA n. BRAI'JN'I 

